The present invention relates to a handhole cover and, in particular, a handhole cover suitable for use with utility poles.
Utility poles are, generally, manufactured with a handhole. The handhole provides a means of access to electrical wiring of the utility pole by service personnel. The handhole is, typically, held in place by screws which engage threaded apertures in the utility pole. As a results of usage over time, these threaded apertures become rusted or otherwise damaged to the point that they are no longer capable of receiving a screw. When this occurs, the cover that came with the utility pole can not be put back into place. It is undesirable to leave the handhole uncovered as the internal workings of the utility power would be prone to tampering by vandals and weather damage due to exposure to the elements. The exposed electrical wires also pose a potential danger, especially to children and small animals. As the infrastructure of utility poles across North America ages, there is a growing market for after market handhole covers that do not require the original threaded apertures in order to be secured in position.
An example of such a handhole cover is U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,939 granted to Tourigny in 1997. The Tourigny reference discloses a handhole cover that has grooves for receiving straps. Straps are positioned in the grooves and surround the utility pole in order to secure the handhole cover in position. External straps are not viewed as the most desirable means for securing handhole covers in position.
What is required is a replacement handhole cover that can be retrofit onto a utility pole without the use of external straps and, preferably, provide an aesthetically pleasing substitution for the original manufactured handhole cover.
According to the present invention there is provided a handhole cover which includes a body adapted to cover a handhole. The body has a front surface, a rear surface, and a peripheral edge. Engagement members protrude rearwardly and outwardly from the rear surface adjacent to the peripheral edge. The engagement members are adapted to engage a peripheral edge of the handhole and are spaced about the peripheral edge to provide a secure engagement of the body in the handhole. At least one of the engagement members is a rotatable locking member having a helical engagement surface. Means is provided for selectively rotating the rotatable locking member between a locking position and a release position.
The handhole cover, as described above, does not require the original threaded apertures in order to be secured in position. The helical engagement surface engages the peripheral edge of the handhole. The rotatable locking member can then be rotated until it engages the peripheral edge of the handhole to lock the handhole cover in position. The helical engagement surface enables the rotatable locking member to accommodate minor differences in the distance to the peripheral edge between handholes. Due to the helical engagement surface, the handhole cover is drawn into a tight and secure position as the locking member is rotated.
The rotatable locking member with helical engagement surface can be placed in different configurations of handhole covers. As will hereinafter be illustrated and described, a single rotatable locking member can be used in combination with hook-form engagement members. As will hereinafter be illustrated and described, two or three rotatable locking members with helical engagement surfaces can be used.
In order to provide the desired depth, it is preferred that the rotatable locking member be mounted on a support post that protrudes rearwardly from the rear surface of the body. The length of the support post will vary depending upon the depth the application requires.
There are various means than can be used to selectively rotate the rotatable locking member between a locked position and an unlocked position. Beneficial results have been obtained as will be hereinafter illustrated and described when the means for selectively rotating the locking member is a screw having a head with a receptacle for receiving a tool.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the handhole cover, as described above, security is a consideration. It is desirable that only authorized personnel be able to readily open the handhole cover. What is required is a low cost means for ensuring secure access. Beneficial results have been obtained when the support post is tubular having a central bore. This enables the means for selectively rotating the locking member (such as the screw having a head with a receptacle) to be concealed within the central bore. It has been found that concealing the screw head, and using a unique shaped receptacle provides adequate security and there is no need to resort to more expensive security measures.